Comparing it to Persona 4 and 5 (arguably perfect games) is a fool's errand, and even if it doesn't execute every idea as perfectly as its sequels, it's still one of the best JRPGs of all time.

The one thing I'll warn potential players about: Persona 3 takes a while to show its hand. If you're like me, you're probably going to get 1/3—1/2 through the game before the intrigue really sets in, which can make the opening hours feel a little odd. However, if you stick it out and allow yourself to get invested, you will be richly rewarded.

It's also worth noting that P3 Portable lacks an epilogue that is present in P3: FES, but after some research, I honestly think you'll be totally fine without it. I know I was.

Man after returning to this game years after my disastrous first playthrough I have learned that this game is still... insanely rough. While there are things about the game I enjoyed more this time (mostly the improvements portable brought to the combat) this game still has huge problems. A very mediocre story with half backed sometimes annoying characters. Gameplay design that makes me question the sanity of those behind the game. And just overall design choices that make the game hard to sit through at times. The game starts off well and is actually pretty well paces for the first months. But the game quickly falls apart ESPECIALLY during the later months where things feel like they slow to an agonizing crawl and just go on way to long. This game is only getting a 6 now instead the original 3 i gave to fes because portable actual made some decent design changes that make the game way better and easily makes it the definitive version of the game. Like no joke whoever thought it was OK idea to have an AI controlled party in a heavily strategy based turn based rpg should be shot in the streets. Portable giving you control of your party along with some other design changes (like a reworked stamina system) easily makes it the best option to play this game regardless of the somewhat downgraded presentation. But really if you're going to play a persona pleas do yourself a favor and just play persona 4 golden or persona 5 royal. With all 3 games being available on modern consoles now and with p4g being the same price I just don't think this is a good choice for your time and money where there are better experiences available for the same price.

The best entry of the "modern" Persona franchise, and the portable version is the best possible version of the game. While I do understand that some people are upset about the lack of The Answer, in my opinion The Answer was never really a major part of the experience in the first place.

What P3P offers instead is QoL changes (controlling your party in battle being the big one, alongside skill cards), removal of the busywork of movement through the overworld and an entirely new route focusing on a female protagonist.

It's also still just Persona 3, a beautiful story about accepting mortality, and trying to live with what you have without falling into despair.

The best version of this game, readily available on modern platforms and the best entry point for people looking into getting into Persona as a franchise, it would be silly to miss out.

((Still think the P2 duology is the better overall game, but it's still locked on the Vita at its most accessible so...))

Probably the biggest surprise this year for me. I didn't expect to enjoy this game as much as I did having never played a Persona game and not typically being a fan of turn based JRPGs that aren't Pokemon.
There are a few things that hold it back from being amazing. Tartarus can be very repetitive as a dungeon that you're constantly forced to crawl through, and there is some pacing issues when it comes to the leveling system where it took me forever to grind, but then you hit a wall and once you do leveling and your characters well-being becoming non-issues.
But nonetheless, still an amazing game. It would definitely be higher for me but I can't with good conscience give it a higher rating because this remastered version of P3 is definitely a drop in quality in a lot of aspects from what I've seen, and from what I've seen and heard, the next two games are on another levels above this one, which I'm very excited to play for myself.